Subang MP’s staff members held over graft probe
KUALA LUMPUR: Subang member of parliament Sivarasa Rasiah claimed three of his staff were detained by the Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission (MACC) on Thursday.
The lawmaker said the arrests were over claims that his staff had demanded money from parties related to a corruption allegation he raised in a press conference in Parliament on Aug 9.
“Two staff members, Joshua Kalaiselvan and Nico Kam, were arrested in the afternoon.
“The third staff, who’s my nephew, Kota Damansara service centre’s manager and my political secretary Naveen Kularasa, was picked up in the evening after MACC officers visited the centre to obtain some documents,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Sivarasa said there was no basis to the allegation that the aides had asked for money when they had no control of the Immigration Department in relation to the allegation he raised last month.
“I reject the allegation against my staff. I know my staff well, in particular Naveen, who is also my nephew. I have full confidence in their integrity.
“This so-called request for a bribe makes no sense at all,” he said, calling the arrests politically-motivated.
Recalling the press conference on Aug 9, Sivarasa said he spoke on an alleged corrupt practice in the Immigration Department involving a Bangladeshi national, Monomiah Siddikur Rahman, who could obtain professional work permits for Bangladeshi workers using forged documents.
“On Aug 24, I also sent a letter to the director-general of Immigration enclosing my press statement and relevant documents and requested for an appointment to discuss the matter,” he said.
Sivarasa hoped that MACC would act professionally and conclude the investigation quickly.